Red Head
by A Polar Bear
Summary: Your mother always told you to never judge a book by its cover. That applies to everybody you meet, Ninten. (AU)


McBurger's is Ninten's favourite place to go when he's in the mood for a quick bite. And that's where he is right now, sitting at one of the tables munching on a large double burger and fries. Baseball practise dragged out later than usual today, so he decided to treat himself to some fast food before going home.

Ninten usually doesn't attract too much attention with his appearance. His style a basic one shared by all the other 13 year old boys in the city of Ellay. A simple striped shirt and denim jeans, a mop of dark hair on top of a youngish face, nothing out of the ordinary.

But today, he's gathering quite a few passing glances from other customers as they pass by his table.

It's all because of his gorgeous baseball cap.

Nicknamed the Testa Rossa, meaning 'Red Head', this sleek, shiny new baseball cap is the envy of all sports and fashion fans alike. It is a beautiful hat, and quite rare as well. Only 250 were ever made in the whole country.

But having a rather wealthy and influential father has its advantages. Suffice to say it was the best birthday present ever, and Ninten has worn it every chance he got, partly to show his love for baseball, partly to show… off. As humble a boy Ninten is, he can't help but indulge in the 'wow's that his Testa Rossa draws now and then.

Though it can be a bit annoying at times. Like now. Being interrupted constantly to satisfy curious customers who want a closer look at his red cap is getting rather unbearable when he's trying to eat, so he pulls the Testa Rossa off his head and sets it aside.

The burger and fries finished, Ninten feels like a soda would compliment his dinner nicely, so he heads up to the cashier for that. Handing the employee some coins and receiving his pop in return, he turns to go back to his seat…

And his eyes shoot wide open.

Walking out of the McBurger's is a rather large and muscular man in a red wife beater with two capital letter Bs on the back, and his great broad shoulders and biceps has a similar design tattooed on them. The man's hair style is wild, the black hair sticking out like a cannon from the front. He wore black, sharp looking sunglasses.

And on his head, as he opens the front doors and goes out into the streets, is a Testa Rossa hat.

_His _Testa Rossa hat.

Because when Ninten quickly looked back at his table, he couldn't find his prized red cap sitting on it with his food tray.

That man stole it.

Of course, his first reaction is to rush out after him in a flurry of anger and snatch it back, but he hesitates. And rightly so.

The double B design on the back of that man's clothes is infamous in Ellay. It signifies the Blah-Blah Gang, a group of rough, destructive, _dangerous _menaces that prowls the many streets of the city, looking for targets to terrorize. And as incompetent as the city's Police Department is, the Gang has mostly free reign to do so. Even though actual, publicised examples of their violence are quite rare, they have developed a reputation that demanded fear from the civilians.

Ninten is no exception. He is scared of them. Especially the guy who took his hat. He looked absolutely _hazardous_ to cross.

But he stole his Testa Rossa. One of only 250 in the country.

His drink completely forgotten, he rushes out the door after the Gang member. He sees the guy strutting down the sidewalk, hands in pockets, cap showing like a red beacon on his head.

Ninten determinedly starts chasing after him, but stops again after seeing the large Gang member roughly push another teenager that had accidentally blocked his path, before continuing his slow pace.

Suddenly filled with uncertainty and fear, Ninten feels like a direct confrontation would only net him something more severe than a rough push. As confident and well exercised he is, Ninten's very sure that in a brawl with that guy, he'll be absolutely crushed. His bones, he means.

But the Testa Rossa… his red hat seems to call out to him as it slowly gets smaller in the distance. So he follows the Gang member, unable to make up his mind on what exactly to do. He keeps his distance though, making sure the man stays in his sights, but never getting too close.

They walk for quite a long time, winding through the streets and buildings as the sun slowly sets over the crowded city horizon. In all honesty Ninten isn't even sure what he's doing. What's he going to do when the man eventually stops at his destination? Where is that, even? All he knows is that he isn't going to let his hat out of his sight.

The Gang member twists and turns along the roads, almost as if purposely trying to muddle Ninten's directions. The tall skyscrapers turn into small houses and shops. They go over a bridge. They head under a tunnel. They cross some railroad tracks. Ninten continues to tail that Gang member almost hypnotically, for over an hour.

His instincts, which have urging him to abandon the effort and go home for a while, are flaring up alarms now, as they walk into a well known 'bad' district of the city. A lot of run down brick buildings and garbage fluttering along the streets attest to that distinction. The streetlights sputter on as night begins to creep in.

But Ninten forcefully ignores his instincts, large brown eyes set on the well built man and the red hat on his head. That Testa Rossa hat belongs to _him_. He wants it back.

Ninten loses line of sight for a second as the Gang member turns a corner. He picks up the pace to not lose him.

When he turns the corner, he finds himself in an empty alleyway, lined with brick buildings covered in graffiti, many of which are the double Bs of the Blah-Blah Gang. He looks around. Where did that guy go? He's sure that he saw him turn this corner…

As Ninten turns around to head out, he almost jumps out of his skin. The man he's been tailing appears as if melting out of a shadow. His wide frame and bulging arms block the light coming from the streetlight poles, making him seem like a monstrous silhouette with slim sunglasses. And a nice red hat.

Ninten finds himself trapped.

His hairs standing on end, heartbeat accelerating, Ninten stares shakily at the Gang member's face. But it shows nothing. No wicked smile, no seething anger, no apparent intent that he's going to hurt him.

The beefy man takes a step forward. Ninten steps back.

He takes another step forward. The 13 year old boy takes another back.

He takes another step forward. Ninten stands his ground.

Even though he's filled with fear from head to toe, he knew that continuing to concede steps would do nothing but get him backed against a wall. So he rallies his remaining courage, and stands his ground, staring up against the Gang member's face.

The Gang member raises a sleek eyebrow, as if amused by this kid's actions.

"What's your name, kid?" He asks in a smooth voice.

Ninten doesn't answer, rather surprised that was the first thing he said to him. He expected something along the lines of ominous warnings or death threats, not passively asking for his name.

"C'mon. You gotta have a name." The Gang member presses. "I don't wanna have to call you 'scrap meat' the rest of the time. Here, I'll tell you mine. I'm Teddy."

It takes a while for him to find his voice, and manage to say out, in a more or less firm tone, "Ninten."

"Ninten huh. Alright, I can roll with that. So tell me…" The innocuously named Gang member steps closer to the boy, further highlighting the size difference between them. The wife beater seems to make his muscles stand out. "What are you doing around these parts?"

Really, Ninten wants nothing to do with these parts whatsoever. He very much just wants to get the hell out of there and away from this criminal looking man. But he followed him all the way out here for a reason.

"…that's a really nice hat." He decides to play it coy, see if he can get around any possibility of getting hurt. He's still very afraid, but tries his best to not show any of it.

"Huh?" Teddy pulls the Testa Rossa off his bulky hair. "You mean this? Well you got good taste, Ninten, I'll give you that. I'm guessing you know what this is and how rare it is?"

"Where did you get it?" Ninten asks innocently.

The Gang member chuckles lowly. Dangerously. "You like it, don't ya?" He holds the Testa Rossa out in Ninten's face, as if trying to provoke the boy to do something rash.

Ninten's eyes are glued to the red cap, the red fabric looking flawless as usual. As it should, he takes very good care of his prized hat, making sure not a molecule of dirt remains on its scarlet surface at all times.

Then it's pulled away, and his eyes are drawn back to Teddy's bony face and sharp sunglasses. And he feels a stab of rage. That's his hat that his father bought for him, and this hooligan Gangster is getting his grubby fingers all over the bill.

But a part of that rage stems from his own helplessness in the situation. He's just a kid. Facing a man whose tattooed arms look like they could swing a punch that's enough to outright kill him. So he swallows his rash anger, hoping that this Teddy person didn't notice.

"So tell me Ninten, how long have you been following me?"

Clearly he was not as inconspicuous as he though he was being. He doesn't answer.

"You're not from these parts, are ya?" Teddy continues, still making sure he stands right in front of Ninten, blocking his exit. "I know all the guys around these parts, but I've never seen you before. And there ain't nothin' out here that a kid like you would want. Unless you lookin' to join the BB Gang… nah, a good kid like you wouldn't want that. Then why were you following me…?"

He twirls the cap in the air. Ninten's eyes follow it.

"I want the hat." Ninten declares boldly.

Too boldly, it seems. Teddy's sunglasses flash as he reaches forward and snatches the young teenager by his striped shirt. Then with his other hand, he slowly, deliberately, places the Testa Rossa cap back on his own head.

"Ya know, _Ninten, _it's dangerous around these parts." The Gangster says in a slow, quiet, perilous tone. "A bright kid like you must know about it, right? Your mommy must've told you to avoid these areas, right? You know why? It's 'cause people like me are here."

Adrenaline spiking through the roof, Ninten finds it extremely difficult to look away from those opaque shades. Even though his mind is screaming for him to try to break away and flee, he reins in those instincts and maintains what he hopes to look like a cool, collected expression. There's no use in trying to run. He wasn't _going _to run.

Since his hat is still not in his possession yet.

But then all though is obliterated as Teddy pulls out a large knife from somewhere behind him. The man lazily brings the sharp weapon toward Ninten until the tip is barely touching his face. Ninten feels his skin buckle against the tip… any movement from him now would cause the metal to cut straight into his cheek.

"Ya know… you ain't a bad looking kid." Teddy hisses. "You got a cute face. I know a few guys in the Gang who'd love to get their hands on you…"

His blood runs cold.

Teddy chuckles, dragging the knife with surgical precision down Ninten's cheek, never breaking skin. Ninten feels like all the nerves in his body have failed except the ones on his face.

"I'm just scaring ya. I wouldn't do that to a kid like you. You've still got a nice life ahead o' ya, it'd be a shame to break you." With that, the knife leaves his skin, and Teddy releases his grip on his shirt.

Very slowly, Ninten releases a shaky breath through his nose.

"If you followed me all the way out here, to such a dangerous place, just for this hat," The Gangster takes the red cap off again, holding it by the bill. "You must be willing to do anything for it."

Ninten glares at the man, still frozen in his spot.

"Well? Would ya? Would you do anything I tell you to, just for this beautiful, beautiful hat?" Teddy solicits.

Would he? Ninten feels his eyes once again being dragged to his Testa Rossa. The hat that he wore proudly for so long, is now causing him a lot more trouble than it's seemingly worth.

Now that the initial fright has died down a little, other feelings are coming up. One of them, of course, being that sensation of regret for being careless with such a prized object, leaving it so easily to be stolen by value deprived human beings such as this Gangster.

This Gangster… this Teddy person, who presented himself more like a civilized Mafioso than a rowdy street criminal. But it doesn't detract from the fact that he took his hat. Ninten feels that his suffocating fear and hot anger toward this man has blended into one uncomfortable emotion. This man, who dangles his Testa Rossa inches from his face, but never letting him get it. But he never said no, either, instead using his hat as a tool to play with Ninten's fear and hope.

In a way, Ninten feels like this man's getting enjoyment out of toying with him. And he's letting it all happen because of the hat.

Sure it's worth a lot… but what does that mean for him? That he has to go all the way out here to this extremely dangerous boondocks neighbourhood for it? That he has to allow himself to be taken advantage of by this morally corrupt Gangster just for a chance to get it back?

"Ninten, I'm asking you a question." Teddy commanded with a frown.

"…no."

"Wussat?"

"No." Ninten repeats clearly, glaring at Teddy.

"You _wouldn't _do anything I asked for the hat?" Teddy says. "Why wouldn't you? You know how rare these things are… you'd probably never even get close to one ever again. Ya already came all the way out here for it, so why stop now? What, ya think your life's more important, right? Going back home to mommy tonight's more important, _right_?"

"…my dignity."

Ninten stands with his fists balled, chin up, standing straight, even though his body is being covered by the shadow of the imposing, heavily built Gang member in front of him.

Teddy raises his eyebrows.

And then breaks out into raucous laughter. The silent streets echo his mirth.

"Gotta say, Ninten, you're really something. Followin' me all this way just for a hat, then managin' to not piss yourself even with a knife to your skull." Teddy shakes his head. "Ya got brains and balls, kid. Can't say that about many other boys your age these days, whole lotta wusses they are."

Ironically, a compliment like that from this hoodlum seems to mean more to Ninten than all the other half assed ones he's received from friends and family.

"So tell ya what. You can have it."

And with that, the Testa Rossa's being shoved in front of his face. Eyes wide, he slowly raises a hand, and gingerly grabs his hat. When it's apparent that Teddy isn't going to turn this into some cruel trick, he pulls it into his possession, and Teddy lets go.

"Enjoy the cap, kid."

He can't believe it. He got his hat back. Honestly, his pessimistic, and perhaps realistic, side had constantly told him all this time that there was no way that he'd get it back. Not after it's been claimed by a Blah-Blah Gang member. But here it is. He turns it around, flipping it over, inspecting its perfect red surfaces for blemishes.

Then his heart drops again.

On the bottom of the Testa Rossa's bill, two capital Bs have been carved into the fabric with a knife.

"Oh that? Don't mind it, it's just a little handiwork I put to personalize it. The cap's still fine, dude." Teddy explains nonchalantly.

Fine? _Fine? _It's not fine! The baseball cap has a criminal group's insignia permanently etched into it! Ninten feels like he's going to cry.

His prized hat is ruined.

And then overwhelming loathing starts bubbling up again.

"You know what, Teddy?"

"What?" Teddy asks, hands in his pant pockets.

"I don't really want it anymore. You can have it back."

And with that, Ninten uses all his strength and tears the red cap into two, fabric ripping loudly as the precious Testa Rossa is destroyed. Then he flings the frazzled halves of the hat at the Gangster.

And he bolts past him, out of the alley.

Ninten doesn't stop running until he's back out onto a well lit, busy street. Panting, he turns back.

Teddy never chased.

He takes solace in the look of pure shock that he caught a glimpse of as he ran past the Gangster, but it's nowhere near enough to counterbalance the fact that he just lost his beloved baseball cap. One of only 250, destroyed and never to be worn again. He makes a note to apologize to his father.

Backtracking the best he can, Ninten walks briskly back into the city centre, en route to his own home with a depressed mood. Even though he has no curfew restriction, his mother must be quite worried.

He passes McBurger's just as they close for the night, an employee locking the door outside right now. The employee catches sight of Ninten.

"Hey kid!"

Ninten stops, giving him his attention as the worker jogs over.

"You're the kid who ate here earlier today right? Lucky that I caught you just now. Here." He shoves something into Ninten's hands. "I found it on the ground when I was mopping tonight. It's yours, right? I saw you wearing it when you came in. It must've fell on the floor somehow, and you dashed outta here without it. You should be more careful next time."

And with that, the employee walks away, leaving Ninten with an incredulous expression, his hands carrying his bright red, untouched, untampered, Testa Rossa.


End file.
